Seeks Spiritual Wealth

Do any of you like to shop yard sales? Do you ever go through a yard sale and buy something just because you think it might be valuable? What’s the most valuable thing you’ve ever found? In 1989, a Philadelphia financial analyst visited a flea market in Adamstown, Pennsylvania and purchased an old, torn painting for $4 because he wanted the frame. Neither the painting or the frame turned out to be salvageable, but when he removed the frame he found a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence. At first he thought it was a 19th century reproduction, but a friend urged him to have it appraised at Sothebys. It turned out that it came from the first run printing of 25 copies, printed the same day the original was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. “The ink was still wet on this copy when it was folded. The very first line – ‘In Congress, July 4, 1776’ -- shows up in the bottom margin in reverse, as a faint offsetting or shadow printing, one more proof of the urgency John Dunlap, the printer, and others felt in dispersing this document.” The copy sold at auction in 1991 for $2.42 million! In 2000, it sold again for $7.4 million!

It’s exciting to think about – there are treasures out there waiting to be found. Jesus understood that excitement, and he used it as the basis for his parables. Do you know what a parable is? Out in the country a man sits down in the grass and begins to tell a story. Crowds gather close and lean in to catch every word. He weaves a realistic tale that grips the emotions and touches the heart of every listener. As he concludes, he drives home an ancient truth that kindles a fire in their souls. That’s what a parable is. Jesus tells three of these stories for us this morning, and each one helps us focus on finding a hidden treasure - spiritual wealth. We might call these parables Jesus’ “treasure map”!

As we listen to Jesus’ stories we can see the treasure we discovered hidden in a field and can almost feel the smooth gold in our hands and hear it clink together as we joyfully pour it back into the treasure chest. The giant, lustrous pearl rolls smoothly back and forth in our hands. Its beauty brings a smile to our faces. We know it’s ours because we sold everything we owned to obtain it. The rough net cuts into our fingers as it strains against the weight of the fish and how important our catch is. With each of these stories Jesus wants us to understand something special about the kingdom of God—his kingdom, the kingdom that is our inheritance.

With each story Jesus was pointing to himself – “I am your greatest treasure!” We get it, but we don’t always act that way. We hear every week how important the Word is and how much we need to treasure Jesus. A few hours later our temper boils over because we’re tired and cranky. We don’t always treasure Jesus’ encouragement to be self-controlled. Jesus’ word emphasizes spending time together at church for worship, but as soon as we hit the weekend or vacation time, we tell ourselves it will be okay to take a little break from Jesus time. We have the opportunities to share Jesus with someone else – maybe the friend we meet for coffee on a regular basis, or the neighbor we’re always chatting with on the sidewalk – but we treasure the friendship more than the treasure we have stored up in our hearts. We don’t hand it off to anyone else.

Even when we get it, and live it, what if we don’t feel it? A few years ago I had a chance to visit with a college student I once had in confirmation class. As we talked, the tears started rolling down their cheeks as they said, “I know what the Word says. I believe that Jesus is my Savior. I know that my sins are forgiven. But pastor, I don’t always feel that way. I fight against the guilt that tears at my heart and soul.” Going to church and hearing what the Bible has to say sometimes becomes a bunch of empty words. We don’t feel like they’re really for us!

We have all been there. Jesus warned what will happen if we give up on him and set him aside for our own selfish purposes. We can look like we are believers and make a great outward show of it, but in the end, what happens to those who ignore God’s Word? Jesus described it at the end of the parable of the net. “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:49–50 NIV). It’s hard to see Jesus and God’s Word as our greatest treasure when we hear him saying such harsh things. But it’s true—and there’s not a person here who wants to end up on God’s eternal burn pile!

Let’s go back to that first parable Jesus told. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44 NIV). Take each part of the parable one step at a time. “The kingdom of heaven”—we’re not talking about some sort of earthly kingdom, a place where we get our castles and crowns. It’s Jesus’ kingdom. He is the king, and he rules right here—in our hearts!

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” It’s not always easy for us to find. Earlier in Matthew’s gospel “Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children’” (Matthew 11:25 NIV). Who is it hidden from? The wise and learned— those who think they can figure out how the earth came into existence, how they can live a good life, how they can earn something bigger and better—won’t find what they’re desperately searching for because it is hidden. It’s so simple! God has opened the treasure of salvation to little children, and they get it. It brings them joy, just like the man in the parable. Joy. The man was so filled with joy that he went and sold all he had because he had to have that treasure!

We have to have it too! God has revealed the treasure to us. In five months, while the rest of the world is singing and celebrating and giving gifts because it’s Christmas, we are singing and celebrating and giving gifts because of the “good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Jesus is born. God has taken on human flesh. When we lift up the cover of God’s treasure chest, that’s the first joy-filled treasure we find. God’s Word is our greatest treasure because Jesus became one of us.

Dig around in the treasure chest a little deeper. Watch as Jesus begins his ministry. His Father thundered from heaven at his baptism, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17 NIV).

Jesus’ preaching impressed everyone who heard it. “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law” (Mark 1:22 NIV). God’s Word is our greatest treasure because it is Jesus’ Word!

Let’s not forget his miracles. Jesus did so many things that defy explanation. God’s treasure chest is filled with many of them. He changed water into wine. The gospels record Jesus’ healing the illnesses and disabilities of at least 24 individuals, including making a man born blind see again. Jesus drove out evil spirits, calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee with a word, helped his disciples catch incredible amounts of fish twice, fed enormous crowds with just a little bit of food, and even raised 3 people from the dead. God’s Word is our greatest treasure because it shows us Jesus’ almighty power!

This is our Savior. Stop and think about what we’ve found in this incredible treasure chest. That’s not all that he did. The perfect Son of God laid it all on the line for us. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). Look at the cross. Behold the man. Jesus did this because of the joy he experiences every time he sees your face. He could see you, even on that day at Calvary. He could see the look on your face and the guilt and sin in your heart. As he looked, he was filled with joy and he endured the most intense, shameful death so that you and I can live with him forever. He took his life back three days later, to convince us that he is OUR greatest treasure and OUR deepest joy. God’s Word is our greatest treasure because it is filled with these priceless gems that Jesus came to give us.

When God’s Word is our greatest treasure, Jesus is our number one priority. We put him ahead of our own self—our sinful wants and desires. Our family and neighbors see our joy in action. We will “sell everything we have” to make sure that the treasure is in our hearts and our homes. Everyone will see and hear that Jesus is our greatest treasure—not sports…not friends…not parties…not vacations…not money…not anything else. Just Jesus.

We have quite a treasure chest filled with valuables. Jesus finished these three parables by saying, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old” (Matthew 13:52 NIV). His words remind me of one of my college professors. Prof. Cyril Spaude loved to tell stories during Greek class. In his own words, he and his brothers had all kinds of adventures growing up - often getting in trouble. As many stories as he told, he never repeated any of them. He always told a new one. They helped their dad brew root beer and store it in the cellar only to be awakened in the middle of the night by explosions—they had filled the bottles a little too full and the caps were popping off! Or the time they designed their own diving suit with a tin pail and some rubber tubing. They almost killed their younger brother when they pumped air filled with gas fumes down the tube. He always had some new, old story to share.

God’s Word has plenty of new, old stories. When was the last time you dug in and found something new hiding among the old? We’ve been working our way through Old Testament Bible stories on Sunday mornings. Each of these stories, as familiar as they might be, yield new jewels of wisdom, a treasure trove of priceless information with fresh applications for our daily lives. We’ve been doing the same thing on Wednesdays as we work through the Psalms. Each time we mine a psalm, we find a precious gem. As we turn it and examine its facets, we find wonderful truths to store up for ourselves. As we dig through God’s treasure chest, we bring out all kinds of new treasures as well as old.

What is our greatest treasure? God’s Word. Reflect on it every day. Let’s begin our day with that treasure, and find the joy and peace that only the good news about Jesus can bring. Open the treasure chest for yourself. Dig into it with your friend or neighbor. Let its riches sift through your hands down to your family members so they can experience the same joy and peace. Take a moment, and write down the name of the person you will share that with this week. When we follow Jesus, we have the greatest treasure of all! Amen.

To God alone the glory! Pastor Jon Brohn